Friday, January 26, 2007

Shturem translates an interview of Reb Yoel Kahn in Kfar Chabad magazine about events after Gimmel Tammuz. I am heartened that someone of Reb Yoel's stature has stood up and declared the truth. I only hope that this does not cause the crazys to do something violent.

It is worth reading the entire article but some excerpts are:

"When the Rebbe assumed leadership Yud Shvat 1951," he stated clearly that the task of our generation is to complete the process of drawing down the Shechina in this world. This is done, the Rebbe said, through the dissemination of Torah, especially "Pnimiyus Hatorah."

"To us chassidim, the real dissemination of Pnimiyus Hatorah is as expounded by the Rabbeim. The Rebbe asks in one of his sichos why did G-d have to tell Abraham that "I will make your name great?" Abraham was known to have been imbued with the greatest degree of humility how can one even think that he desired greatness?

The Rebbe answers that the meaning of "I will make your name great" was that through his name the Name of G-d Almighty will be sanctified. Everyone will see, even a non Jew, that Abraham's name reflects G-d's Name. In other words, every Jew and non-Jew will see that the Rebbe is an extraordinary elevated person, a true Shepherd of the Jewish People who cared about his people in general and about every individual in particular.

I believe that when one writes "Shlitah" now after the histalkus next to the Rebbe's name not only does he not bring greatness and admiration to the Rebbe but just the opposite, it defames and makes a mockery of the Rebbe's name.

Talking about the recent "video of the Rebbe in 770" that has been publicised by the meshichistin and also that these people refer to the Rebbe as "Shlito" Reb Yoel said:

"Everything the "maskilim" and communists tried to do in order to defame the honor of our Rabbeim is absolutely nothing compared to the defamation caused by the "meshichistin" because of two reasons: 1) the substance of the defamation: it never even occurred to the communists to degrade the Rebbe in such a manner. 2) when this defamation is done by Chabad chassidim the mockery and shame is even greater. Not only is this "shitah" a joke, it is against the Torah and is the complete opposite of what our function and shlichus is.

Talking about how we should see the Rebbe today:

Chassidus tells us that it is an accepted fact that the soul animates the body, however, since the soul is spiritual we cannot see it, but we do see the actions and effect that it has on the body. Seeing a body that is alive is clear proof that there is a soul even though we don't see it physically.

"The same is in our case. After Gimmel Tamuz 1994 since the Rebbe's life is spiritual we cannot see him but we do see the effect of this collective soul (the Rebbe) in the collective body (Klal Yisroel). It is as though we see the Rebbe himself.

"We see this despite all "experts" and prophets of doom 12 years ago who predicted that Lubavitch would dissolve. Not only has it not disappeared, it has turned into the greatest Jewish empire in the world. We see how Lubavitch chassidim continue to thrive and grow. No shaliach has left his shlichus and even many non-Lubavitch chassidim have come closer to chassidus and the Rebbe.

"Not one shaliach has given up his shlichus after Gimmel Tamuz. On the contrary, shluchim are growing by leaps and bounds and have established hundreds of Chabad Houses, Jewish institutions with divine success. This is only because the one who sent them (the Rebbe) is animating them and granting them the power to fulfill their shlichus.

Just like before Gimmel Tammuz 1994 people from all walks of life, not only Lubavitchers, would come to the Rebbe on Sundays to receive a dollar and ask for a blessing and witnessed outright miracles today too people from all walks of life come to the Ohel and are blessed with what they need. Some people make a special trip just for that. They land in Kennedy airport, go to the Ohel and fly back just as they came to the Rebbe before Gimmel Tamuz.

Wednesday, January 24, 2007

Boruch Hashem, our Rabbi YD Groner is now out of hospital after his recent surgery and is recovering well. He is not at home yet as he is undergoing rehabilitation at another facility where he will be for another few weeks.

We wish Rabbi Groner a Refuah Shleima bekarov and hope to see him in shul very soon.

Thursday, January 18, 2007

Well they're doing it again. A Sydney Moslem cleric has attracted more attention to their "cause" by encouraging children to die as Muslim matyrs. He has also referred to Jews as pigs. Their true colours are being shown again for all to see. Our society is so concerned with political correctness that it is non-PC to critisise any Moslem no matter what he says. These stupid clerics think that they are untouchable and can say whatever ridiculous and irresponsible thing they want.

Saturday, January 13, 2007

Good on ya Sheik AlHilali! Your true feelings keep being revealed and embarrassing the Moslem community - who are embarrassed not because they do not agree with you but because they do not want what they really believe being revealed to the Australian community.

I talked about Hilali's statements supporting rapists in October here, here and here. And the stupid pronouncements keep coming. The Australian reports:

"The Western people are the biggest liars and oppressors and especially the English race," the Mufti of Australia said in Arabic during the extensive interview in Eqypt, his birthplace. "The Anglo-Saxons who arrived in Australia arrived in shackles. We paid for passports from our own pockets. We have a right in Australia more than they have."

The Australian has a few articles about this latest controvesy. Hilali's friends try to explain away what he said here, and you can see excerpts of the interview here. Alexander Downer's comments and NSW Community Relations Commission (CRC) chairman Stepan Kerkyasharian's statements are here. Kerkyasharian says Sheik al-Hilali should “keep his mouth shut”.

Despite Muslims trying to assure the world that they are peace loving, the average Australian, who has no strong feeling about muslims either way, is seeing for himself that the truth is not so benign. Even if we believe that the majority of Moslems are not violent, the truth is that the Islamic community as a whole does not condemn terrorist attacks but applauds them. We have seen this since well before 9/11.

While the press and politicians are trying to present Hilali as being "several sandwiches short of a picnic" as Kevin Rudd said, the truth is that he is representative of all Moslems. Thank G-d that most Aussies are not falling for this and are starting to realise what type of people we are dealing with.

Wednesday, January 10, 2007

Shturem featured this photo of our Rabbi Groner in 770 speaking to Rabbi Shimon Goldman. I figure it was taken 10-15 years ago but if anyone has a better idea of what year this is from please let me know.

Monday, January 08, 2007

This story about the Rebbe appeared in COL. To me the story is poshut but it seems like some of our co-religionists need to be reminded that the Rebbe was against violence especially between our fellow Jews.

At the Kinus Hashluchim in Ashkelon last week, an individual related this incident that occurred in 770 on Yom Kippur of 5747:A group of girls from Kfar Chabad had remained all night to secure seats in the Ezras Noshim so that they could view 'Napoleon's March' on Motsai Yom Kippur. When one of the girls had gotten up in the early morning and left her place for a moment of refreshment, planning to return immediately, a girl from France had taken her place, despite the protests of her friends.

As the girl returned to her place demanding her seat, the French girl gave her a blow that rendered her fainting and after futile attempts of Hatzoloh to revive her failed, she was presently removed for hospital care.

When Rabbi Yehudah Leib Groner approached the Rebbe, asking for a blessing for this girl, the Rebbe demanded that the offender apologize adding that he would not descend to the shul until she would do so. For fact, the Rebbe entered the shul at 10:30 and on Motsai Shabbos he sent a message to the French girl ordering that she returns to France before Sukkos.

Another person related that he/she was present when Rabbi Groner delivered the Rebbe's message to the shliach from France (presumably, Rabbi Shmuel Asimov), who was responsible for the visit of this group of girls to 770. The shliach's attempts to intervene on behalf of the French girl, included an entreaty that great efforts were exerted on bringing her to Chabad and that it would not be a good idea to have her sent home. These arguments however, did not alter the Rebbe's decision and Rabbi Groner told him that the Rebbe insisted that the girl be sent home.

Wednesday, January 03, 2007

Reports from Shturem and CrownHeights.info tell the story of Reb Yoel Kahn being verbally abused by a bochur with acute psychiatric problems. It appears that when Reb Yoel went downstairs to deliver his weekly shiur in Inyonei Geluah UMoshiach this bochur screamed at him to leave 770. Reb Yoel, being a true chassidisher yid, left the scene quietly and proceeded to relocate the shiur to the upstairs zal.

The situation in 770 is going from worse to terrible. I blame the so-called normal people who learn and daven downstairs who are letting these incidents pass without reacting. This crazy bochur was reportedly an Israeli who should either be locked up in a hospital ward or sent back to Israel. The fact that nothing is done by the leaders "downstairs" and the leadership in Crown Heights is worse than criminal. The meshichisten have seen that the mainstream of Lubavitch laughs at them and they are now turning to violence. This violence must stop even if it means deporting the troublemakers.

For the most part the shluchim are doing the Rebbe's work with incredible self sacrifice while the crazys do nothing but sing one song and dance around the bima.

I am still proud to say I am a Lubavitcher but am sick of having to explain away the antics of a fringe group to family and friends.